Education

• The Minister for Home Affairs stated that Traffic Police and LTA enforcement officers undergo rigorous, customised training including defensive riding/driving and safe engagement techniques, with TP officers also required to attend annual riding refresher courses.
• New TP and LTA officers are paired with experienced officers for up to six months and only deployed alone after being assessed as competent, alongside wearing protective gear and using motorcycles with enhanced safety features.
• Low-risk enforcement tasks, such as illegal parking, are outsourced to companies that provide appropriate training to their officers before deployment.

• The government provides extensive financial support for preschool children from low-income families through fee caps, basic subsidies, and means-tested additional subsidies, reducing monthly costs to as low as $1 to $3 in government-supported preschools.
• Starting in late 2024, more families with monthly household income of $6,000 and below will qualify for maximum childcare subsidies, and fee caps for Anchor and Partner Operator preschools will be lowered in 2025 and 2026.
• The ComLink+ Progress Package for Preschool will launch in the second half of the year, offering financial top-ups in children’s Child Development Accounts for families meeting enrolment and attendance requirements.
• Additional support is available through the Child Care Financial Assistance scheme, which includes aid for childcare fees and a one-time grant up to $1,000 for enrolment and out-of-pocket costs, with Social Service Offices assisting with broader living expenses.
• The government regularly reviews its schemes to ensure comprehensive support for lower-income families to give children a good start in life.

• Assoc Prof Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim asked if the Ministry will review the 21st Century Competencies Framework and evaluate its impact on primary school students.
• Minister Chan Chun Sing highlighted that the Framework, introduced in 2010, emphasizes creativity and collaboration in curriculum design and has led to strong student performance in international assessments.
• The Framework was last updated in 2023, and schools will progressively strengthen their development efforts guided by this updated framework.
• The Ministry will continue regular reviews to ensure students gain the necessary values and competencies for lifelong learning and success.

• Patrick Tay questioned whether a bell curve is used to determine final grades or GPAs across ITEs, polytechnics, and autonomous universities.
• The Minister explained that grading in higher learning institutions aims to assess student mastery and provide feedback for skill development.
• The response clarified that institutions use a standards-referenced approach and do not force grades into a bell curve.
• The debate highlighted the government’s stance on grading transparency and alignment with educational objectives.
• The focus remains on ensuring fair assessment without rigidly imposing statistical distributions on student performance.

• Patrick Tay requested full Ministry of Education funding for students in Human Resources, Capital and Employment, or Industrial Relations courses to cover Institute for Human Resource Professionals certification costs since they are not eligible for SkillsFuture credits yet.
• Chan Chun Sing explained that graduates from specific polytechnic diplomas in HR Management with Psychology and Business automatically qualify for the IHRP-CA certification with reduced assessment costs.
• He noted that nine degree and diploma programs offer partial exemptions, cutting certification assessment costs by over 85%.
• Chan added that higher-level IHRP certifications require at least three years of HR work experience, and the Ministry of Manpower provides subsidies for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents to obtain them.
• The response highlighted existing support mechanisms rather than addressing the call for full Ministry of Education funding directly.

• The Minister outlined SCDF's existing safety frameworks, including mandatory medical screenings, foundational and specialised training with live fire simulators, and regular proficiency tests to maintain firefighter readiness.
• Firefighters are equipped with full Personal Protective Equipment and must follow international-standard operating procedures, such as team-based deployment and entry-point tracking.
• Following a recent fatality, SCDF will enhance measures by integrating Emergency Medical Services crews into firefighting teams to provide faster medical response during operations.

Gerald Giam Yean Song raised inquiries about the availability and demand for Nitec, Higher Nitec, and Diploma in Nursing programs from 2018 to 2023. Chan Chun Sing responded that around 500 places were consistently available for Nitec in Nursing at ITE each year, filled by approximately 900 first-choice applicants with about half being admitted. There is no data for Higher Nitec in Nursing since it was introduced in 2024. For the Diploma in Nursing, about 1,400 places are offered at Nanyang and Ngee Ann Polytechnics annually, with around 1,300 admissions, half of whom were first-choice applicants meeting entry requirements.

Usha Chandradas asked if the Ministry of Education has considered adding drama or theatre studies to the primary school arts education curriculum. Chan Chun Sing responded that the primary curriculum prioritizes foundational learning in literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional competencies, with a Drama module included in the Programme for Active Learning for Primary 1 and 2 students. Although drama is not part of the core curriculum beyond lower primary, it can be utilized by teachers as a pedagogical tool to enhance learning in various subjects. Some schools also offer Drama as a Co-Curricular Activity or enrichment program, and the Ministry will continue to evaluate the role of drama in supporting student development.

Usha Chandradas raised several questions regarding art and music teachers in the educational system, including the number of teachers who teach multiple subjects and the feasibility of them focusing primarily on their specialized arts subjects. Chan Chun Sing responded that there are approximately 1,900 art and music teachers employed by the Ministry of Education, with around 1,100 in primary schools. Most of these teachers primarily teach their main subject, and their resignation rate over the past five years has been consistent with the overall teaching workforce, at around 2% to 3% annually.

Louis Ng Kok Kwang questioned the rationale behind requiring unwed parents to sign a letter of undertaking for their child's Primary 1 registration. Chan Chun Sing explained that both parents are usually required to consent to the school choice as they share legal responsibility. If one parent registers on behalf of both, they can declare online that the other parent's agreement has been secured. However, if one parent has full custody, which can occur in cases of unwed or divorced parents, no such declaration or undertaking is necessary.

Assoc Prof Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim asked about strategies for equipping university graduates with critical core skills for the modern workforce and how the Ministry of Education evaluates the integration of future-focused skills into curricula. Chan Chun Sing explained that the Ministry and Institutes of Higher Learning have developed a LifeSkills framework since 2022, which includes 10 key competencies. This framework allows for flexibility in delivering LifeSkills modules tailored to students' needs through various learning methods. The effectiveness of the framework is assessed through internship evaluations by employers and graduate surveys on LifeSkills preparedness. The Ministry aims to ensure graduates are ready for the future workforce.

Yip Hon Weng raised concerns about strategies to retain locally trained doctors in the public healthcare system and ensure adequate staffing in essential medical specialties, while also addressing the need for more overseas specialists due to an ageing population. Ong Ye Kung responded that the public sector's mission and opportunities for learning have helped maintain a low attrition rate of 3% to 5%. The Ministry has a sufficient pipeline of specialists, but is increasing training for key specialties in response to the ageing population. Efforts are ongoing to expand local medical school intakes and attract Singaporeans trained abroad, alongside the appropriate integration of foreign doctors.

Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Education about collaborating with the Ministry of Manpower to create friendly career resources mapping the Shortage Occupation List to education pathways, provide counseling on skills shortages, organize industry outreaches to schools, and ensure career information is accessible to disadvantaged families. Chan Chun Sing responded that schools and higher learning institutions already prepare students for various careers, offering opportunities for industry immersion and career talks, and information is available on the MyCareersFuture portal. He emphasized the importance of respecting students' personal choices in their course of study while encouraging paths toward in-demand careers.

Tan Wu Meng questioned the Ministry of Social and Family Development about the insufficiency of preschools in certain precincts, despite earlier plans for them during HDB BTO construction, and how the government is assisting parents in these situations. Masagos Zulkifli explained that the Early Childhood Development Agency plans for preschool places based on demographic trends and has increased full-day preschool places by 25%, resulting in over 200,000 available spots. However, local demand can sometimes exceed supply due to varying parent preferences in a few districts. To address this, the ECDA collaborates with HDB and operators to utilize available spaces for additional preschools and encourages parents to consider options in nearby areas. ECDA has also launched a new preschool search feature on LifeSG to help parents find centers with vacancies.

Hany Soh asked about the progress and expected completion date for the upgrading works at Yishun Innova Junior College. Chan Chun Sing responded that the upgrading is scheduled to be completed in 2027, and the school will operate from its permanent site starting January 2028, which is a year later than previously announced. The delay was due to additional time required to finalize the design and other parameters for the works.

Ms. See Jinli Jean asked the Minister for Education about the breakdown of Skills Development Fund (SDF) usage over the past three years by workforce sector and sought insights into anticipated changes due to technology intensification. Chan Chun Sing clarified that the SDF, fed by employer contributions and government top-ups, supports local workforce upskilling, with around $290 million collected annually and approximately $1.02 billion spent each year on workforce development. He noted that comparisons of SDF utilization across sectors are not meaningful due to varying skills needs and that course fee subsidies reach up to 70% for younger learners and 90% for those aged 40 and above. The Ministry has no plans to increase subsidies or lower minimum age criteria, emphasizing a commitment to prudent SDF use for lifelong learning and upskilling.

Melvin Yong raised concerns about the digital inclusion of seniors in Singapore, asking how the Ministry of Communications and Information could further support them beyond existing programs. Janil Puthucheary affirmed that efforts are underway to educate seniors on digital skills, protect them from online threats, and promote peer influencers known as Silver Digital Ambassadors. Tan Wu Meng asked about user experience and tracking potential digital drop-off among seniors, highlighting the importance of effective implementation of digital services. Denise Phua noted frustrations residents experience when agencies direct them to online services despite their lack of digital literacy and called for better facilitation from the Ministry.

• Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim inquired whether the Ministry of Transport could extend concessionary fares to students transitioning from pre-university to university, provided they show proof of admission.
• Chee Hong Tat clarified that students moving from GCE "A" levels or International Baccalaureate to universities are currently charged adult fares per journey.
• The debate highlighted a potential gap where students awaiting university entry may not benefit from concessionary fares despite having confirmed university admission.

• Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Ministry of Education for the average application rates for co-educational versus single-gender schools in Singapore from 1980 to 2020, broken down by decade.
• Chan Chun Sing responded that the Ministry does not track these statistics because parents can apply for different school types across various phases of the Primary 1 Registration Exercise.
• The debate highlights a gap in data availability regarding school application trends over the past four decades.
• No further details or alternative data sources were provided in the exchange.

• Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin suggested incorporating menstrual health into the school sexuality education curriculum to address low awareness of how symptoms may affect future fertility.
• The Minister for Education, Chan Chun Sing, stated that menstrual health is already covered in Primary 5 sexuality education, Lower Secondary Science, and Upper Secondary Biology.
• The debate highlighted existing curriculum content on menstruation and reproductive health across different educational stages.
• The focus was on ensuring students understand physiological changes during puberty and their long-term implications.
• The discussion emphasized the importance of education in addressing potential fertility issues early.